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a16z Frontier
a16z Frontier (formerly a16z Crypto) is a16z’s venture fund, whose investment scope extends beyond crypto startups to frontier technologies while continuing to include crypto investment and advocacy for sensible crypto regulation.
Its historical focus includes cryptocurrency and web3 startups building a decentralized, community-governed internet owned by users, builders, and creators. It is led by Chris Dixon, a General Partner at the organization.[6][1]
Overview
a16z manages over $7.6 billion in assets across four funds and has been investing in web3 at all stages since 2013 under the leadership of founding general partner Chris Dixon.[2]
The firm identifies three distinct eras of the internet: the first era (approximately 1990-2005) focused on decentralized and community-governed open protocols, benefiting users and builders; the second era (approximately 2005-2020) saw the rise of centralized services dominated by a few large tech companies. According to a16z, the current third era, referred to as web3, merges the decentralized ethos of the first era with the advanced functionality of the second, fostering new creativity and entrepreneurship.[2]
a16z supports its portfolio and the growth of web3 through research, engineering, and security teams, legal and regulatory support, go-to-market networks, recruiting services, governance and infrastructure assistance, educational content, media properties, and the Crypto Startup School.[2]
a16z Frontier’s scope now extends beyond crypto startups to frontier technologies, while retaining crypto investment and advocacy for sensible crypto regulation.[6]
a16z Crypto Rebrands to a16z Frontier
a16z renamed its crypto investment fund a16z Crypto to a16z Frontier, expanding its scope beyond crypto startups to frontier technologies and markets that may take years to develop. The fund will continue investing in crypto and advocating for sensible crypto regulation.[6]
The expansion reflects a long-horizon investment approach to technologies and markets that may take years to mature. The announcement argues that companies are increasingly defined by what they do rather than by the underlying technologies they use. It points to a16z’s earlier investments in emerging computing devices, including Oculus, Skydio, and Zipline, and in crypto, including Coinbase, Solana, and Uniswap. These examples illustrate the fund’s history and scope, not limits on its investments.[6]
The announcement describes the current AI wave as an opportunity to build novel, native use cases, not only to improve existing work. Examples of frontier areas include new devices, autonomous machines, advances in biology and medicine, full-stack startups combining software, hardware, and services, and networks for people and intelligent agents.[6]
Crypto remains part of the fund’s scope. The announcement describes crypto as enabling programmable, fast, cheap, global money rails, including stablecoins and financial services, as well as machine-to-machine transactions and the bootstrapping of new networks. These are examples of the fund’s interests rather than boundaries on its scope.[6]
Chris Dixon will lead a16z Frontier alongside a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, and general partners Eddy Lazzarin and Guy Wuollet.[6]
The fund’s operating teams support portfolio companies with regulatory, go-to-market, talent, marketing, and technical R&D support.[6]
Educational Arm
a16z crypto YouTube channel provides overviews and insights from researchers, demos from developers and engineers, and more from product builders and creators. It caters to individuals seeking to delve into the technical advancements shaping the future of the internet.[1]
The a16z crypto channel can be found on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, etc.[3][4]
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
Andreessen Horowitz is a private American venture capital firm, founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. The company is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
In addition to Andreessen and Horowitz, the firm’s general partners include Chris Dixon, John O’Farrell, Scott Weiss, Jeff Jordan, Peter Levine, Vijay Pande, Alex Rampell, Martin Casado, and Andrew Chen.[2]
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